Dame Elaine Paige promised to send King Charles a signed copy of her album once it is completed, as she received her damehood today.
The West End star reflected on her meeting with the King, after being awarded her honour for services to music and charity in a ceremony at Windsor Castle.
The 77-year-old wore a blue feathered hat made by a milliner to the late Queen and carried a bag designed by Victoria Beckham.
Dame Elaine said she made the King laugh during their conversation, saying: “The King has a very quiet voice and he said to me, I think he said to me, ‘Are you keeping your hand in?’ after having said to me, ‘I haven’t seen you in quite a while’, which was true.
Dame Elaine said the King ‘has a very quiet voice’
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“And so I said I was keeping my hand in and that I was in fact about to embark on a new album and that I would send him a signed copy if he would like it once it’s done.
“He thought that was rather amusing and laughed. I’m sure it’s not something that he would be particularly interested in, but I will send it anyway.”
Her new album will contain songs the singer grew up listening to, including hits from The Beatles and Joni Mitchell.
Born Elaine Bickerstaff in North London in 1948, she entered fame for her portrayal of Eva Peron in the musical Evita.
Dame Elaine promised the King a signed copy of her new album
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After the show debuted in 1978, Dame Elaine won the Olivier Award alongside her co-star David Essex for performance of the year in a musical.
The musical recently returned to the spotlight at the London Palladium, featuring actress Rachel Zegler as Eva.
Dame Elaine said the new production showed “how things evolve” in the industry.
She said: “When I sat there on the first night watching her be rather brilliant with that extraordinary voice, one so young, a completely and utterly different take on the original version that I did.
Dame Elaine described the occasion as an ‘honour’
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“It just goes to show, really, how things evolve and how life changes from one decade to another.
“This show was proof of the pudding in that it was a completely brand new, modern take, more for young people, I would say.
“It was more like a rock concert really, so that’s why I say it was more for the young, but nevertheless, it’s like Shakespeare or like anything else, you can’t leave it as it was first performed, everything has to evolve and change and move forward, and this is no different.”
Aside from Evita, Dame Elaine starred in Cats, Chess, Piaf and Sunset Boulevard, as well as many cameos in pantomimes throughout the years.
Dame Elaine said it was ‘fantastic’ to be recognised for her charity work
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She has also recorded more than 20 solo albums, securing one chart-topping single with I Know Him So Well featuring Barbara Dickson.
Outside of her career work, Dame Elaine supported several charities, including the Children’s Trust, the Royal Voluntary Service, and the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, which she has been president of since 2010.
She said it was “fantastic” to be recognised for her charity work, describing the occasion as an “honour”.
Dame Elaine added: “To be given this for, as I said, for something that I love doing and that I’ve been passionate and had the privilege to do, it doesn’t lie lightly with me. I’m very humbled by it and it’s a great honour.”
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